Hanging Fruit Baskets Can Make A Unique Multi-Level Display For Your Houseplants

If you love your houseplants, you most likely have a healthy collection that you're probably constantly adding to. Let's face it, there are so many different plants to peruse at your local nursery, and the temptation to bring some of them home is sometimes just too great. But what about if you're running out of shelf space to display all those gorgeous plants you're so enamored with? This is when you have to be a bit inventive and search through your cupboards or local thrift shops to find common household items that could easily be repurposed as unique displays for all your coveted plants. One clever idea is to use a hanging fruit basket to create an attractive multi-level plant hanger.

TikTok user @pothosiblyaboutplants stumbled across a three-tier wire fruit hanging basket at a thrift shop for only $5. Then she added a pretty plastic bowl below the bottom basket and attached it using some hooks and bits of gold chain — consider using some from an old evening bag. The bowl is there to collect the overflow water that drips through after you give the plants a drink. You can create something similar for your own houseplants by repurposing what you already have at home or what you can find when you're out shopping. Basically, it's another way to incorporate vertical gardening around your home and one of those clever gardening hacks for homes without a backyard.

To make your own display, you'll first need to find a hanging fruit basket. If you don't have one at home, take a trip to your local thrift store, and you might get lucky. You can even find these useful items brand new online, like this Blue Donuts Store 3-Tier Hanging Kitchen Fruit Basket. The different-sized receptacles will allow you to arrange a few small pots in each one, or you could just use three planters in sizes to match the baskets. Don't forget to make sure your multi-tiered hanger is able to handle the weight of the plants, especially after you've watered them.

Alternatively, you could get a similar effect by using three wire hanging baskets, like these Karlliu Metal Hanging Flower Baskets, and attaching one underneath the other. If you're finding it difficult to attach the hook under each basket so it hangs straight, just use a pair of pliers to remove each chain from the hook and then connect the chains to some carabiners you can clip onto the wire baskets. You can even buy individual hanging chains in packs that already have both hooks and carabiners attached, like Hotop Metal Hanging Basket Chains. Or, if you happen to have some sturdy pieces of rope at home, you might like to try out this viral string hack that makes hanging plants a breeze.

While you could use the idea of adding a plastic bowl beneath your hanging fruit basket planter, like in the TikTok video, you could also just place a plant saucer in the base of each basket to catch the overflow. However, you don't want to do this with succulents unless you religiously empty every saucer after you've given your plants a drink. You'll probably find that using a clear plastic bowl doesn't provide a nice aesthetic either because you'll constantly be looking at that dirty water until you empty it. Instead, you could use a colored bowl you can't see through.

You can also buy deep drip trays, like these Garden Hour Extra-Deep Drip Trays for Potted Plants, which you could use to attach under the bottom tier. Or, if you have an old round baking tin that's seen better days, consider giving it a second life by applying a coat or two of chalk paint, drilling some holes for the chains, and attaching it as your drip tray. Ideally, you'll want to fasten this using carabiners so that it's easy to remove when it needs emptying. You also want to make sure you check the water level often so it doesn't overflow onto your floor. Now that you've created your beautiful display, you might want to explore a stunning ladder DIY to create the perfect place to put your hanging plants.